A clash of churchmanship? Robert Gray and the Evangelical Anglicans 1847 – 1872 Alan Peter Beckman Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Church and Dogma History) at the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University. Supervisor: Dr J Newby Co-supervisor: Dr P H Fick May 2011. 2 ABSTRACT This study investigates the initial causes of Anglican division in South Africa in order to assess whether the three Evangelical parishes in the Cape Peninsula were justified in declining to join the Church of the Province of South Africa when it was formally constituted as a voluntary association in January 1870. The research covered the following: Background to the period in England and at the Cape, based on the histories pertinent to the period; An assessment of the differences in churchmanship between the Evangelicals and the Anglo-Catholics, through study of the applicable literature; A critical assessment of the character, churchmanship, aims, and actions of the first bishop of Cape Town, Robert Gray, drawn from the two-volume biography of his life, his journals and documents obtained in the archives; An analysis of the disputes between Bishop Gray and two Evangelical clergymen, analyzed from the published correspondence and archive material. The conclusion of the study is that the differences in churchmanship between the Evangelicals and the Anglo Catholics were very substantial and when coupled with the character, aims and actions of Bishop Gray, left the Evangelicals with little option but to decline the invitation to join his voluntary association. KEY WORDS Anglican Evangelical Anglo-Catholic Tractarian Churchmanship 3 UITREKSEL In hierdie studie word die aanvanklike oorsake van Anglikaanse verdeeldheid in Suid-Afrika ondersoek ten einde te bepaal of die drie Evangeliese gemeentes in die Kaapse Skiereiland geregverdig was om nie aan te sluit by die Church of the Province of South Africa nie toe dit formeel gekonstitueer was as 'n vrywillige vereniging in Januarie 1870. Die navorsing het betrekking tot die volgende: Agtergrond van die tydperk in Engeland en aan die Kaap, gebaseer op die pertinente geskiedenis vir die tydperk; 'n Beoordeling van die verskille in churchmanship tussen die Evangelicals en die Anglo-Katolieke, deur middel van studie van die toepaslike literatuur; 'n Kritiese evaluering van die karakter, churchmanship, doelwitte en optrede van die eerste biskop van Kaapstad, Robert Gray, gebaaseer op die twee-volume biografie van sy lewe, sy joernale en argief dokumente. 'n Ontleding van die geskille tussen biskop Gray en twee Evangeliese predikante, ontleed uit die gepubliseerde korrespondensie en argief materiaal. Die gevolgtrekking van die studie is dat die verskille in churchmanship tussen die Evangelicals en die Anglo-Katolieke aansienlik groot was en dit tesame geneem met die churchmanship, karakter, doelwitte en optrede van Biskop Gray, het die Evangelicals min keuse gelaat het as om die uitnodiging om by sy vrywillige vereniging aan te sluit te weier. 4 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS My grateful thanks to the following people for their willing and valuable assistance: Mrs Zofia Sulej and Mrs Gabriele Mohale, Archivists at Historical Papers, William Cullen Library, Witwatersrand University. Mrs Carol Archibald, Provincial Archivist of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. Mrs Fiona Colbert, Biographical Librarian of St John‟s College, Cambridge University. Dr Susan Hood, Archivist of the Church of Ireland. Mr Roland Calitz of Graaff-Reinet. The Rev Brian Underwood, Historian of the Intercontinental Church Society. Ms Catherine Wakeling, Archivist of the United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. Mr William de Villiers, author of Messengers, Watchmen & Stewards. Mr Graham Naude, Head Librarian, GWC. Mrs Jane Kratz, PG Student Services Manager at GWC. Prof David Seccombe, Principal of GWC, for his encouragement (and goading) and for granting me a study day. Overseas Council International for a study grant. My supervisors, Drs Newby and Fick, for their very helpful guidance and for their quick responses to my late submissions. Thanks especially to Dr Fick who responded so quickly in spite of a heavy workload. I especially want to thank the Rev Dr John Newby, to whom I owe so much, and who introduced me to the subject area more than 30 years ago. It has been a great privilege to have the benefit of his encyclopaedic knowledge of history. Thanks also to my wife, Marilyn, for her support and understanding, and to my children: Mark, Raymond and Natalie for their prayers and encouragement. And thanks to Almighty God who, in his mercy, hears our prayers and grants us understanding, grace and power to do the things that please him. (Adapted from the Collect for the first Sunday after the Epiphany, BCP) 5 6 CONTENTS Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................. 9 1.1 Background ....................................................................................... 9 1.2 Problem statement ............................................................................ 10 1.3 Existing material/specific gap in present knowledge .............................. 11 1.4 Research aims and methodology ......................................................... 12 1.5 Basic hypothesis ............................................................................... 13 1.6 Personal viewpoint ............................................................................ 13 1.7 Terms.............................................................................................. 14 Chapter 2: PROLOGUE .................................................................................. 17 2.1 Mid-nineteenth century churchmanship in England ................................ 17 2.2 The role of the mission societies ......................................................... 21 2.3 The State-Church connection .............................................................. 23 2.4 The genesis of the Anglican Communion .............................................. 26 2.5 The Church of England at the Cape before 1848 ................................... 28 2.6 Conclusion ....................................................................................... 36 Chapter 3: A PATHETIC SCHISM? ................................................................... 37 3.1 Introduction ..................................................................................... 37 3.2 The heart of the differences ............................................................... 37 3.3 The Apostolic Succession ................................................................... 39 3.4 Access to God ................................................................................... 41 3.5 The rule of faith ................................................................................ 43 3.6 The ministry and the sacraments ........................................................ 44 3.7 Justification ...................................................................................... 47 3.8 Erastianism ...................................................................................... 48 3.9 Conclusion ....................................................................................... 49 Chapter 4: BISHOP ROBERT GRAY – AN ASSESSMENT ................................... 51 4.1 Brief biography ................................................................................. 51 4.2 Gray‟s character ............................................................................... 56 4.3 Churchmanship ................................................................................. 72 4.4 Gray‟s aims and actions ..................................................................... 78 4.5 Summary ......................................................................................... 87 7 Chapter 5: THE DISPUTE WITH THE REV ROBERT LAMB ................................ 89 5.1 Robert Gumbleton Lamb .................................................................... 89 5.2 The dispute ...................................................................................... 91 5.3 Conclusion ..................................................................................... 105 Chapter 6: LONG VERSUS THE BISHOP OF CAPE TOWN ............................... 109 6.1 William Long .................................................................................. 109 6.2 The dispute .................................................................................... 112 6.3 Conclusion ..................................................................................... 122 Chapter 7: CONCLUSION ............................................................................. 125 ANNEXURE A ...................................................................................................... 127 BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................. 131 8 Chapter 1: Introduction CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND Here are we, the Bishops of the Church of S. Africa; we are a voluntary religious association; these are our terms; who likes to join us? Bishop Robert Gray, first Anglican Bishop of Cape Town, May 1865. (Gray 1876:200) Bishop Gray‟s invitation eventually led to the founding of the Church of the Province of South Africa1 (CPSA) as a voluntary association of Anglican churches in 1870. However,